Swing away cutting edge for ejector buckets



March 1959 T. G. CAMPBELL SWING AWAY CUTTING EDGE FOR EJECTOR BUCKETSSheet 1 of 2 Filed June 29. 1967 INVENTOR. T REVOR G. CAMPBELL ATTORNEYSMarch 18, 1969 T. G. CAMPBELL SWING AWAY CUTTING EDGE FOR EJECTORBUCKETS Sheet Filed June 29, 1967 INVENTOR.

TREVOR G. CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS 3,433,377 SWING AWAY CUTTING EDGE FOREJECTOR BUCKETS Trevor G. Campbell, Peoria, Ill., assignor toCaterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, Ill., a corporation of California FiledJune 29, 1967, Ser. No. 649,921 US. Cl. 214-767 Int. Cl. E02f 3/74, 3/816 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cross-reference to relatedapplications US. patent application Ser. No. 591,862 titled, EjectorMechanism for Loader Buckets, filed by Trevor G. Campbell on Nov. 3,1966, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

Background of the invention Earthmoving-type loaders commonly employejector buckets wherein the bucket has an ejector which sweeps forwardlythrough the bucket during unloading to provide for positive ejection ofmaterial from the bucket, for example when sticky material is beinghandled or when it is desirable to unload the bucket with its floor in agenerally horizontal position. Numerous problems arise when such ejectorbuckets are employed. For example, it is often desirable to employ teethon the cutting edge of the bucket. However, the addition of teeth to thecutting edge often presents a problem since the adapters for the teethproject above the cutting edge and interfere with the ejector whichusually has a lower edge sweeping through the bucket in close proximityto the bucket floor and the cutting edge. In addition, most bucketswhich include ejectors commonly require a bucket floor with a thickcross-section to permit proper cooperation with the ejector. This thickcross-section of the bucket floor oftens prevents easy penetration ofthe cutting edge and bucket floor into materials which are to be loadedinto the bucket. Further, it is desirable to be able to rapidly andsimply alter the capacity of such ejector bucket to permit moreetlicient operation in materials ranging from lightweight, bulkymaterial to heavy, compact materials. However, simple forward extensionof the bucket floor and bucket sidewalls requires detailed changes inthe bucket assembly since the ejector sweep must be varied to permitcomplete ejection of material from the entire bucket. Further,variations in the forward projection of the bucket floor result in oftenundesirable changes in the bucket reach of such loaders, particularlyduring unloading.

It is also well known in the prior art to employ bucket loaders wherethe entire sidewall and bucket floor structure including the cuttingedge pivots forwardly from the bucket to permit unloading between thebucket assembly and the forward pivoting floor. However, suchconstruction has not been found to lend itself to employment with anejector. In addition, buckets where the entire sidewall and bucket floorpivot forwardly for unloading undesirably limit the bucket reach of suchloaders during unloading.

nited States Patent 3,433,377 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 Summary of theinvention The present invention overcomes the above problems byproviding an ejector bucket having fixed sidewalls and floor structurewith a cutting edge pivotally connected to the ejector bucket by meansof side extensions. The pivotal cutting edge assembly is associated withthe ejector to be pivoted forwardly according to forward ejecting motionof the bucket ejector.

Brief description of the drawings FIG.1 is a partial side elevation of atractor with a bucket embodying the present invention mounted thereon,part of the bucket being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the ejector bucket assembly of FIG. 1,with parts in section, illustrated in an unloading position; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side elevations of an alternate embodiment of theejector bucket illustrated in a loading position and in an unloadingposition, respectively.

Description of the preferred embodiments Although the invention isparticularly described herein with reference to an ejector bucket of atype wherein the ejector is specially constructed to sweep along astraight floor section, it will be readily apparent that the pivotalcutting edge provided by the present invention is readily adaptable foruse with buckets of other configurations.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a bucket loader vehicle is partiallyillustrated at 11 and has an ejector bucket assembly 12 pivotallyconnected at 13 to a pair of forwardly extending lift arms, one of whichis indicated at 14, and hydraulic cylinders, one shown at 16, operatingthe lift arms to raise and lower the bucket assembly. A tilt linkagewhich is repeated on either side of the bucket loader includes ahydraulic jack 17 connected with each of the lift arms by means oflevers 18 and 19. The forward lever 19 has an end pivotally connected tothe lift arm at 21, a pivotal connection with the rod of the hydraulicjack at 22 and a pivotal connection 23 at its other end with two links24 and 26 which extend forwardly for connection to the ejector bucketassembly in a manner to be described below. The arrangement of the tiltlinkage permits the bucket assembly to maintain a proper load-carryingattitude upon being raised by the lift arms while extension of thehydraulic jack of the tilt linkage causes the ejector bucket to beunloaded in a manner also described below.

The ejector bucket assembly is similar to the disclosure of the US.patent application Ser. No. 591,862 and is briefiy described herein.

The bucket assembly has a bucket floor 27 with a straight inside surface28 and a pair of sidewalls, one of which is indicated at 29, which areconnected with the bucket floor and project upwardly to be connected toa cross member 31, also shown in FIG. 2. A generally vertical structuralmember 32 is disposed at the rear of the bucket assembly on either sidethereof and is connected with both the bucket floor and the cross member31. Each of the vertical members 32 provides one of the pivotalconnections 13 of the lift arms as well as a pivotal connection 33 withthe forwardly extending link 24 of the tilt linkage. An angled ejectorplate 34 is pivotally connected to an upper end of each vertical member32 by means of a link 36 and has a tab 37 projecting rearwardly fromeither side of its angled portion. Each tab 37 is connected to one ofthe pivot points 13 by means of a lever 38. The forwardly extendingmember 26 of the tilt linkage is connected to a projection 39 of thelever 38 adjacent its connection with the ejector tab by means of a link41 which is pivotally disposed therebetween. As the bucket assembly israised by extension of the hydraulic jacks 16 acting upon the lift arms,the tilt linkage levers 18 and 19 are pivoted forwardly according to thefixed connection provided therebetween by the hydraulic jack 17. As theforward tilt linkage lever 19 is pivoted forwardly, member 24 causesforward tilting of the bucket assembly such that it will maintain aproper load-carrying attitude while being raised by the lift arms. Theinterconnecting link 41 prevents actuation of the ejector during thisinitial forward tilting of the bucket assembly. However, when theinterconnecting links 41 make positive contact with the levers 38,subsequent extension of the hydraulic jack 17 which tilts the bucketforwardly for unloading also causes the ejector plate to sweep forwardlythrough the bucket to unload material therefrom. The nature of theconnection of the upper links 36 with the ejector plate permits thelower edge 42 of the ejector plate to sweep forwardly in close proximityto the straight bucket floor surface 28. The position of the tiltlinkage, the bucket assembly and the ejector are illustrated in FIG. 2at the completion of unloading of the bucket.

The present invention provides a cutting blade assembly 51 which ispivotally connected to the ejector bucket assembly and associated withthe ejector such that on unloading operation of the ejector, the cuttingblade assembly swings forwardly to provide an opening between thecutting blade 52 and a forward edge 53 of the bucket floor for unloadingof material from the bucket. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cuttingblade has a forward cutting edge 54 and is afiixed to the upper end 56of the ejector plate by a side extension 57 on each side of the blade.With the bucket assembly in a loading position as shown in FIG. 1, or ina carry position, the cutting blade assembly forms a forward extensionof the bucket with the cutting blade abutting the forward edge of thebucket floor and with each side extension abutting a forward edge 58 ofone of the bucket sidewalls. The connection between the ejector plateand the cutting blade assembly is further reinforced by a plate 59 oneach side of the bucket assembly which is affixed to the ejector plateand extends forwardly to be connected with one of the side extensions ofthe cutting blade assembly.

With the bucket assembly in its loading position, the cutting bladeassembly increases the capacity of the bucket while the cutting blade,in association with a forward portion of the bucket floor, has athincross-section for easy penetration of material to be loaded into thebucket. Referring now to FIG. 2, as the bucket assembly is raised to asuitable unloading level and is titled forwardly according to the tiltlinkage, the forward motion of the ejector to alter the capacity of theejector bucket for efficient operation in a wide range of materials fromlight, bulky materials to heavy, compact materials. Even with suchvariations in the cutting blade assembly, the reach of the bucketassembly is not affected and the stroke of the ejector plate, asnecessary to completely sweep through the ejector bucket, also remainsunchanged. Also, teeth may be added to the cutting blade to assist inits penetration of material to be loaded and since the cutting blade ispivoted away from the bucket during unloading, such teeth and adaptersto receive the teeth will not interfere with operation of the ejectorduring unloading.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a similar ejector bucket assembly isillustrated along with an alternate embodiment of the cutting bladeassembly which is swung further forwardly by operation of the ejector toprovide an increased opening between the cutting blade assembly and thebucket for unloading. The alternate cutting blade assembly 51' has asimilar cutting blade 52' with a forward cutting edge 54' and which hastwo upwardly projecting side extensions, one of which is indicated at57'. Each side extension is pivotally connected at its upper end 61 to aforwardly extending end 62 of a plate 63 which is affixed to one of thebucket sidewalls. A cutting blade actuating link 64 is pivotallyconnected to each of the side extensions at a point 66 below its pivotalconnection with the plate 63 and extends rearwardly to be pivotallyconnected at 67 with a tab 68 atfixed to either side of the ejectorplate.

The present embodiment provides a cutting blade assembly which is morereadily interchangeable upon the bucket assembly. Further, it may benoted from FIG. 4 that with the pivotal connection of the cutting bladeassembly to the bucket sidewall and the link connection between theejector plate and the cutting blade side extension, the cutting bladeassembly is swung further forward according to operation of the ejectorplate to provide a greater opening between the cutting blade and theforward edge of the bucket floor for unloading of material from thebucket.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ejector bucket assembly for bucket loaders where the bucketassembly has sidewalls, a bucket floor and an ejector operable toforwardly traverse the bucket for unloading material therefrom, theimprovement comprising a cutting blade assembly pivotally associatedwith the bucket assembly and operably connected to the ejector, saidcutting blade assembly forming a forward extension of the bucket priorto operation of the ejector, said cutting blade assembly being caused topivot forwardly according to unloading operation of the ejector toprovide an opening between the bucket and said cutting blade assemblyfor unloading of material from the bucket therethrough.

2. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 1 wherein said cutting bladeassembly is replaceably mounted upon the bucket assembly.

3. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 1 where the ejector is pivotallyconnected to the bucket assembly to pivot in forward traversal of thebucket for unloading material therefrom and wherein said cutting bladeassembly is affixed to the ejector to be forwardly pivoted away from thebucket according to forward traversal of the ejector through the bucket.

4. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 3 wherein said cutting bladeassembly comprises.

a cutting blade having a forwardly disposed cutting edge thereon, saidcutting blade forming a forward extension of the bucket floor exceptduring operation of the ejector,

a side extension connected to each side of the cutting blade andprojecting upwardly to be affixcd to the pivotal ejector, said sideextensions forming forward extensions of the bucket sidewalls exceptduring operation of the ejector, and

a member connected between the ejector and each said side extension toprovide structural support therebetween.

5. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 1 wherein said cutting bladeassembly is pivotally connected to the ejector bucket and at least onemember is connected between the ejector and said cutting blade assemblyto cause the cutting blade assembly to be forwardly pivoted away fromthe bucket upon forward traversal of the bucket by the ejector.

6. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 5 where an upper end of anejector plate is pivotally connected to the ejector bucket and whereinsaid cutting blade assembly comprises a cutting blade having a forwardlydisposed cutting edge thereon, said cutting blade forming a forwardextension of the bucket floor,

a side extension connected to each side of the cutting blade andprojecting upwardly to be pivotally con- 5 6 nected to the ejectorbucket, said side extensions forn1- References Cited ing a forwardextension of the bucket sidewalls; and UNITED STATES PATENTS a memberpivotally connected between the e ector plate and each of said sideextensions to cause said cutting 2,720,990 10/1955 Beyerstedt et a1214510 blade assembly to be forwardly pivoted away from the I ejectorbucket according to forward traversal of the 5 HUGO SCHULTZ P 1mmExaml'ze" by the ejector plate.

